Spring Equinox 2025: Unequal Daylight Explained

[{"selector":"#anim-181aceab-3b47-406a-8966-22fad3399103","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-118a5e09-a6f0-4985-beac-a93efe52fa00","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc54b2f0-087d-41e5-a0d5-3d68e8f89467","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-660bf03d-4d04-4862-afe0-4f7bccb72783","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Spring Equinox 2025: Unequal Daylight Explained Govind Tekale

The vernal equinox marked spring's arrival on March 20, 2025, at precisely 5:01 a.m. EDT, when Earth's axis aligned perfectly with the sun.

[{"selector":"#anim-07c125ec-fd9d-4864-a3f0-33671c369a51","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-01b02b95-e1b6-4699-b439-db02a06d448a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ef08a14-67c7-4d7e-bbd8-9e2316a53d65","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-38d79f32-2628-4b6e-911c-a2c1f5876a38","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b88d97ed-d68e-4ee0-a57e-c59bf94fdb3b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c577afe-a0fc-479d-9e8e-9e1da1678ff4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Nick Kenrick (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) Representative Image

Despite being called "equal night," most locations didn't experience exactly 12 hours of daylight due to latitude, the sun's disc-like appearance, and atmospheric light bending.

[{"selector":"#anim-d9bf210d-172b-4df9-a773-b4f7b71a0e3b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7423ff62-71a8-43ea-ae24-322f21bf4320","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 139.34928%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e38b2e8c-b040-42f8-a8ae-e6d958ffbe97","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b826b052-5899-461d-a8d0-24bfbf894b42","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eee771ef-bd67-4b7d-82d9-7baa3ed3f328","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f6afefe-d543-44fb-9a07-575289104ed0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Coloration (Flickr) Representative Image

Sacramento saw 12 hours and 10 minutes of daylight on the equinox, while Fairbanks, Alaska got 12 hours and 17 minutes – the further north, the longer the day was

[{"selector":"#anim-26da83ed-2147-4ec9-a29b-41ec5b96869b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df5b8f7d-3437-4173-8b20-c0b870024d8f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee26cadc-cce2-4a20-8d56-1dce77ec5e9f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82312694-17f6-4863-806a-760d67d74d3e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46e4014a-26de-4201-8012-d61665f7127c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26f3d402-c5d7-4af6-82e5-93ca378ba46d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Anthony Quintano (Flickr) Representative Image

Ancient civilizations built impressive monuments aligned with the equinox, like Mexico's El Castillo pyramid where sunlight created a serpent-shaped shadow during this celestial event.

[{"selector":"#anim-1ec44212-793e-40d1-9d8a-f27ca8892783","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9269c5d2-c187-4186-b49d-aae0889edc53","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 139.34928%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1581e9e-8350-46f9-a2d7-77ef353a81ce","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06e48592-70d3-49c7-b6dd-671638d65c63","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-42b4db3e-01c0-414c-b8eb-91dde5736ef1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc77b630-b8d2-405d-b51b-d7f97b6ea8d4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Elia Locardi (Flickr) Representative Image

Many cultures celebrated renewal during this time – from Iranian Nowruz and Japanese Shunbun no Hi to Hindu Holi festivals and pagan Ostara celebrations.

[{"selector":"#anim-73dec560-424e-4dc2-9a3a-bfa93e82d923","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-062ec21f-97bf-4a07-9583-8ab18b1fa4f4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30390cab-8b45-4a19-98d1-a42cb532dba5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f432af5-b375-4294-992c-a2168ad93789","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e79b80a2-e38d-4cef-90f8-9388718783cc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4a2a316a-7396-45d9-8a6d-9cac2afdf9e9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - onthego tours (CC BY 2.0) Representative Image

After the spring equinox, days continued lengthening until the summer solstice on June 20, 2025, at 10:41 p.m. EDT – the year's longest day.

[{"selector":"#anim-18af3607-bd94-425b-a5e6-df35c99b2333","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-225bf7df-70f0-496d-b56a-322d9aeea846","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.04866%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7588f4ed-ced2-4f7a-8add-125115f4d974","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-87143f8b-acd7-43d3-be97-556d0647f072","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a7966804-db51-499a-bf40-411b9151fd35","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c4128a2-435d-4323-97c3-7277c3ce69cb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Luke Roberts (Flickr) Representative Image

While astronomers marked spring with the equinox, meteorologists had already started their spring season on March 1, based on temperature patterns rather than celestial positions.

[{"selector":"#anim-4b8011bc-411c-40bd-9eef-eab7a7fe9585","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fcd72828-9fa3-422b-b418-903901835c67","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10ad7b37-b00c-4346-b9ce-93e45a314936","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a37d90fe-286b-446c-8ba7-7693ad9c762f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f03f2c03-eaed-4c76-a46f-b1c3f944b842","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c7ee8697-f05f-4222-8cde-f9d196efbf7c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source - Markus Branse (Flickr) Representative Image

[{"selector":"#anim-9b09ad96-3a5e-48a5-ac70-bfe96ed7e2b6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d18b35cb-8b28-4fe1-8b61-0c0b00e2d48d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-42f96a5b-cd42-4403-9723-0cd319e4a167","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98e57a88-d6ba-46fe-a55e-5a1410b98509","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61875f92-6896-4f19-b171-f474ea6eee60","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] New Year's Eve Geomagnetic Storm Could Bring Northern Lights to U.S Learn more